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Mateo was our resident shifter guru. He was well-versed in anything and everything shifter, despite being human himself. We were fortunate to have him. Mateo was the person I counted on and trusted the most to help me with humans, both those who were aware of shifters and those who were not. He did a great job of making sure everything stayed smooth in Blackwood Creek. It must have been the laid-back bartender in him. He always served as a counselor for shifters and humans alike.
Lola’s office was a small, unassuming building nestled between two towering oak trees. Connected to the town library, the building was right across the street from Mateo’s tavern. Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door.
The sound echoed through the quiet afternoon air, making my pulse race faster than I’d like to admit. Thank fuck I didn’t have to make this type of visit very often. These visits always filled me with trepidation because the outcome was unknown. If the humans chose to keep our secret, they were welcome to stay. If their decision was not to respect and maintain our confidentiality, thus putting the pack in danger, I was forced to make a tough decision.
In my tenure as alpha, I’d thankfully never had to make the difficult judgment of sacrificing a life in order to safeguard the shifter community. It was one of the less savory obligations that came with being alpha, one I’d have to uphold if the pack was in danger. The safety and secrecy of my pack and my kind hadto come first. No matter how much I hated the idea of doing something so egregious.
“Come in,” Lola called, her voice trembling ever so slightly.
I exchanged glances with Clawson and Mateo before pushing the door open and stepping into the cozy space filled with books and trinkets. “Hey, we wanted to check in with you,” I said.
“Ridge, Clawson, Mateo,” Lola greeted us nervously, wringing her hands together. Her eyes darted around the room, avoiding eye contact. “What can I do for you? Take a seat, please. Would you guys like some lemonade?”
The three of us glanced at each other as we took in her nervousness.
“Uh, no, thank you. We’re fine. First, let me apologize if this feels intrusive.” I chose my words carefully. “We’re here to talk to you because Tori told us you witnessed her shifting. I know you’ve spoken with her since then, which I am happy to hear.”
Lola’s eyes widened in shock, her face paling as she looked at us. She took a step back, her whole body quivering like a leaf caught in a gust of wind. Clawson was right. Three imposing men trying to ease her nerves had been a bad idea. Tori should have come with us.
“Please don’t be afraid,” Clawson spoke in a low, soothing tone, slowly raising his hand from his holster. “We’re not here to hurt you. We only want to help. We know this isn’t easy, so we wanted to touch base and make sure you’re all right. Your world has been flipped upside down and sideways, big time. We just wanted to be certain you know you’re not in any danger here with shifters.”
“Clawson is right,” I added, staying back, careful not to crowd her. “We need to be sure you understand what you saw and know you’re safe around us.”
“Safe?” Lola breathed. Her gaze flicked between the three of us, realization dawning on her face. “You’re all werewolves, too, aren’t you?”
“Shifters, yes,” I confirmed. “But we’re still the same people you’ve always known.”
“Except me,” Mateo said. “I’m human like you,ma chérie.”
Lola’s eyes bugged out even bigger. The sight astounded me. I did not think human eyes could get that large.
“Just one of the lucky ones who gets to be in the cool club.” Mateo shot her that smile I knew made all the women’s knees weak. “I know exactly what you’re feeling right now. How strange it is,non? You believe the world to be one way, and then,bam!It’s something else entirely. But let me tell you, you’ll never meet a better group of people than the shifters in this town or the humans who are aware of them.”
“There are more humans who know?”
“Oui. Blackwood Creek is special like that,” Mateo said.
“Blackwood Creek is home to many shifters because we’re in danger elsewhere,” I said, hating the vulnerability in my voice. “There’s a group of humans known as hunters who track our kind down. It’s their mission to annihilate the shifter species. I don’t understand why they gun for us because we pose no threat to humans and can live together in harmony. We’re no different in how we want to live and care for our families. However, this only works if those who are aware of our secret agree to keep quiet and let us live peacefully.”
Lola twisted her fingers together, her gaze drifting toward the window. “I understand what you’re saying and don’t want to cause trouble, but keeping such a massive secret…it seems impossible. It might be best if I left town. I really don’t want to mess things up for anybody here.”
The idea of Blackwood Creek losing someone as compassionate as Lola Kipling troubled me. She seemed like agood person, and I didn’t want her to feel forced out of her home. Additionally, somebody who was so concerned about keeping our secret would never accidentally let it slip. If anything, she would be overly careful.
“Blackwood Creek is still your home, Lola. I don’t want you to pack up and leave because you don’t feel like you belong or won’t be able to keep our secret,” I told her, the conviction in my voice surprising even me. “You just need to be mindful of what you say and to whom you say it. And remember, this town is a safe, happy place for everyone, not just humans.”
“Staying quiet becomes easier when the shifters are your friends,” Mateo added. “We’re all in this together.”
Lola hesitated for a moment before nodding, her face resolute. “I promise not to say anything to anyone.”
“Thank you, Lola,” I said, relief flooding me. “This a lot to take in. We all understand that. Tori is already your friend, and I would like to be as well, but I’m the alpha of our pack. As I mentioned, there is trouble for shifters, and we have a large influx of our kind coming here, so I have to take care of several things. If you need anything or need to talk, please reach out to me. I’m still the mayor of this town, too.”
When Lola finally made eye contact with me, I convinced myself that she wouldn’t leave and would work towards making her life here. Tori cared for Lola, and I’d hate for one of my mate’s new friends to leave when Tori had already lost so much. I wanted to give Tori everything she ever wanted.
With a couple of things to attend to before the shifter meeting, I left Clawson and Mateo to answer whatever questions Lola had. An uneasiness settled over me as I walked away from Lola’s office. Blackwood Creek was our haven, but it’d never been more fragile than now. The thought of hunters breaching our sanctuary again made my blood boil, and I had to do something to protect my pack.
“Ridge,” Kyle called out, jogging toward me. My shoulders tensed, waiting for whatever smart-ass remark he’d have for me this time, but he was my mate’s brother. As much as it pained me, I would try to get along with him.
“What’s up, Kyle?”
